Exposition of the Whole Bible

HOUGH this pfalm has no title to it, it feems to be a pfalm of David, from the flile and matter of it; arid indeed begins with the fame words with which the preceding pfalm is ended. Theodoret is of opinion it was written by David as a prophecy concerning Hezekiah, as a fong to be fung by the peopleatter the deftruction of the 4 y- y. 1. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, &c.] See the note on Pfa/. xxxii. 11. For praife is comely for the upright; it becomes them; it is their duty; they are bound unto it by the mercies and favours. they have received: fhould they not give.

PIN 3772 93 quia non accedunt ad te, Grotius, not be, quenctied; there will be for ever indignas tion and wrath, tribulation and anguifh, upon eve~ ry foul of'man that does evil. But he that trufleth inthe Lord not’ in his wealth and. riches, in his’ © wifdom and ftrength,. in. himfelf, and his own righteoufnefs;, for fuch, are wicked perfons; but in ‘the Lord: in his righteoufnefs to juftify him,, in his blood to pardon him, in his {trength tofupport him, and in his grace to fupply him with every thing neceflary: for him. Mercy foall compafs. him about; not only follow him and overtake him, but furround him; he fhall be crowned with loving-kindnefs and tender» mercies: the phrafe denotes the abundance of mercies that fhall be beftowed upon him here and hereafter, as both grace and — lor y. ‘; 3 ¥. 11, Begladin the Lord, &c.) The Targum renders it, in the word of the Lord; in Chrift the effential words in him as the Lord their righteouf nefs, and becaufe of his righteoufnefs imputed te them, by which: they become righteous; and in him: as their Saviour and Redeemer, and becaufe of

_the falvation which he has wrought out for them ¥ fee Ifa. \xi10. And rejoice, ye righteous; im the Lord;as before; for this is not avcarnal, but fpiritual joy, which is here exhorted to, ‘the fame. as in Phil. iv. 4. and righteous ones who are: excited to it, are fuch who are not righteous. in appear= ance only, or in theirown conceit, or by the deeds of the Law,.or in and of themfelves; for there is none righteous this way: but who are made righ teous by the obedience of Chrift, and are righteousnefs itfelf in him; under a fenfe of which grace they live foberly, rightéoufly and godly; and thefe have great reafon to rejoice and be glad. » And hout for joy all ye that are upright in beart; who. have the truth of grace, and the root of the matter in. them, oil in the veffels of their hearts, with their lamps; whofe faith is.unfeigned, whofe hope is without hypocrify; and whofe love is without diffimulation; and who worfhip the Lord in fpirit and» in truth, and draw nigh to him with true hearts, and call upon him in the fimplicity of them; thefe. ought to rejoice, and even fhout for joy, becaufe. of the grace that is wrought in them, and beftowed upon them, and the glory they fhall be partakers of; for both grace and glory are given to thefe, and no good thing is withheld from them;. the end of thefe upright fouls is peace; and when — they have done their work, they fhall lie down and ~ reft in their beds, and each one fhall walk in his

,: f Jat ae praife to God, the ftones of the wall would cry out, and rebuke them for their ingratitude: it is beautiful, and looks lovely in them; it is an ornament to them, and is, in the fight of God, of great efteem: it is. very acceptable to him; and when grace is in exercife, and their hearts in tune, being fenfibly touched and imprefied with the goodnefs of God, it is defireable by them, and is pleafant and delightful tothem. © 62, y. 2. Praife the Lord with barp, &c.J. An inftrument David was well fkilled in the ufe of, - the inventer of which was Fubal, Gen. iv. 21. Sing unto him with the pfaltery; the name of this — inftrument is in the Hebrew language mebel:-the account which Yo/ephus” gives of this, and of the former, is, ‘“ the harp is extended with ten ftrings, * and is ftricken with a quill; the abla, or pfal-

** tery, has twelve founds, and is played. upon with

<¢ the fingers;” fome make this and the next to be the fame, And an inStrument-of ten Strings; and read them together thus, wth the pfallery. of ten rings; and fo the Targum, Septuagint, and other verfions*:, but it feems, from Fo/epbus. that it was not a ftringed inftrument, but had holes, and thofe twelve; and befides is diftinguifhed. from the inftrument of ten ftrings, P/a/. xcil. 3.. it was in. the form of a bottle, from whence it had its name:

¥. 3. Sing unto him a new fong, &c.], One newly compofed on account of late. mercies received;. and ‘ as the mercies of God are new every morning, there ought to be a daily fong of praife to him; and, fo a new fong is a continual fong, as Chrift is called the new and living way, Heb. x. 20. becaufe he is the ever-living way; or the conftant and.only one, which always was, is, and will be. Or it may denote fome famous and excellent. fong, asa new name is an excellent name, an unknown and un- {peakable one; fee Rev. ii. »7. compared with Rev. xiv. 2, 3. or refpect may be had to the New Teftament-difpenfation, in which old things are pafled away, ahd all things become new; a new covenant is exhibited, a new and living way opened, and new ordinances inftituted, and at the end of it there will be new heavens and a new earth; and fo here is a few fong made mention of, as fuited to it. Play frilfully with a loud voice; either with the quill upon the harp, and the inftrument of ten ftrings; or with the fingers upon the pfaltery, at the fame time, vocally, and aloud, exprefling the new fong.

¥.4. For the word of the Lord is right, &c.]

‘The revealed word of God: the law of God is right; its precepts are holy, juft and good; its fanction or penalty is righteous; it is impartial unto all; it is juft in condemning the wicked, and in acquitting believers on the account of, Chrift’s perfeé&t righteoufnefs, by which it is magnified and made honourable: the gofpel-part of the word is right; it publiffies right and good things; it directs to the right way, to heaven and happinefs; it makes men right when it works effectually in them; it engages them to walk in right ways; and its doétrines are right or plain to them that have a fpiritual underftanding given them; and all this is matter of joy and praife. And all bis works are done in truth; his works of creation are done in the truth of things, with the utmoft exadtnefs and accuracy, and are a wonderful difplay of his power, wifdom, and goodnefs; his works of providence are according to the counfel of his own will, and are done in the wifeft and beft manner; and his work of redemption is a proof of his veracity and faithfulnefs to his covenant-oath and promife; and his work of grace upon the hearts of his people, is truth in the inward parts; and which, as he has promifed to carry on and finifh, he is faithful and will do it; in fhort, his way of acting both towards the godly and ungodly, agrees with his promifes to the one, and his threatnings to the other, and fo is in truth; and the whole of this is a reafon why the faints fhould praife the Lord.

y¥. 5. He loveth righteoufnefs and judgment, &c.] Or righteous judgment’; he delights in the adminiftration of it himfelf, er. ix. 24. and he is well pleafed with acts of righteoufnefs done by others, when done according to his word, from love to

® Vid, Jarcshum in loc, & R.Mofem in Aben Ezra ip loc, him, by faith in him, and-with a view to his glory; efpecially he loves the righteoufnefs of his Son, being) fatisfactory to his law and juftice, and his people, as clothed with it; and he delights'in the condemnation of fin in the flefh of Chrift; and in the righteous judgment of the world, and the prince of it, by Chrift.. The earth is full of the goodnefs of the Lord; of the providential goodnefs of God, of which al] ‘creatures. partake; and of the fpecial goodnefs or grace of God manifefted in Chrift Je- {us 5 it was tull of it particularly when Chrift was here on earth, who is full of grace and truth; and when the gofpel of the grace of God was preached every where by his apoftles, according to his order, and appeared to all men and fo it will be efpecially in the latter day, when multitudes will be called by grace and converted, and when the earth will be tull of the knowledge of the Lord; and ftill more when it will become a new earth wherein only righteous men will dwell.

¥. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, &c.| The aerial and ftarry heavens, and the heaven of heavens, the third heaven, the feat of the divine majefty, and the habitation of angels and glorified faints; thefe were made even out of no-

| thing, not out of any pre-exiftent matter, nor were they eternal; and being made are creatures, and fo thefe were made by the word of God, the effential Word of God, the Lord Jefus Chrift, who often goes by this name, Fohbmi. 1, 14.. Heb. iv: 12. 1 Johny. 7. Rev, xix. 13. and very fitly agrees with him, who fpoke for all his people in the council and covenant of grace, and undertook to be their furety; is the Word fpoken of by all the holy prophets fince the beginning of the world; is the interpreter of his Father’s mind and will, of which he mutt be capable, fince he lay in his bofom; and now he fpeaks for his faints in heaven, whofe advocate he is; and efpecially he may be fo called becaufe he fo often fpake on the fix days of creation, and faid, let this and the other thing be, and it was fo; and to him, as the Word of God, is the creation of all things frequently afcribed, Yobn i. 13,

Heb. xi 3. 2 Pet. iii. 5. and particularly the heavens, Heb. i. 10. This-is a proof of the deity of Chrift, and of the dignity of his perfon; and fhews how fit he is to be the Saviour of men; how fafe- the faints are in his hands; and that: he ought to be trufted in, adored and worfhipped. And all the host of them by the breath of bis mouth; by the host of the heavens are meant the angels of heaven, who dwell in the third heaven, and are the militia of it;

they are called the heavenly hoft, Luke ii. 13. thefe are under Febovab, as their Lord and King, and are the army among whom he does according to his will, 1 Kings xxii. 19. Dan,iv. 35. thefe attended him whenever he has made any remarkable appearance; and they have been employed by him againft his enemies, and in defence of his people, about whom they incamp, 2 Kings xix. 35. Matt. xxvi. 53. Gen. xxxii. 1, 2. P/fal, xxxiv.7. The fun, moon, and ftars, are the hoft of the next heaven, thefe are ranged in their proper order by the Lord, and he keeps the mufter-roll of them, J/z. x], 26. Pfal. cxlvii. 4. and thefe are ufed by him as his militia; the ftars in their courfes fought againft Sifera, Judg. v. 20. and the winged tribe are the hoft of the lower heaven; and even the lower clafs of thefe, as the locufts and grafhoppers, go forth

forth in bands and troops, and incamp in the hedges, and at the command of God pafs through and devour whole countries, Prov. xxx. 27. Nab. ili. 17. Pfal. cv: 34, 35. and all thefe are made by the breath or fpirit’ of Jehovah’s mouth; that is, by the Spirit of God, the third perfon in the Trinity; a name which is fuitable to him who is breathed forth, and proceeds from the Father and the Son, and to whom creation is afcribed, Gen. i. 2. Fob XXXili. 4. and xxvi. 13. and which is no inconfiderable proof of his deity; and fhews that he muft be equal to the work of fandtification, which he begins and carries on. Now though the creation of the heavens is attributed to the Word, and the hoft of them to the Spirit, yet we are not to fuppofe that one perfon took one part, and another perfon another part of the creation but they were all, Father, Word, and Spirit, jointly concerned in the whole.

¥. 7. He gathereth the waters of the fea together as an beap, &c.] Which was done on the third day of the creation, by means of which the dry land appeared, Gen. i. g, 10. when the waters of the fea were piled up as an heap, and ftood higher than the earth, as they now do; and which is a wonderful inftance of the power and providence of God, to bound them and preferve the earth from being overflowed by them, ob xxxviii. g—1t. He layeth up the depth in ftore-boufes; that is, large quantities of water, for which he has his treafure-houfes, as for the wind, hail and fnow, P/al.cxxxv.7. Fob xxxviii. 16, 22. and thefe are the clouds of heaven above, and the fountains of the great deep below, which the Lord opens and ftops at his pleafure; fee Gen. Vii. 11. and viii, 2.

x. 8. Let all the earth fear the Lord, &c.| That is, all che men that dwell upon the face of the earth. As it follows, Let all the inhabitants of the world ftand in awe of bim; which tear and awe defign a reverence of the divine majefty, whofe divine perfections are fo manifeft in the works of creation; and a carefulnefs not to offend him, into whofe hands it muft be a fearful thing to fall; and the whole worfhip of him, which is often in fcripture exprefled by the fear of him: and this is to be underftood either as what is the duty of all men; for to fear God and keep bis commandments, is the whole duty of man, Eccl, xii. 13. and which is incumbent on all men, in confideration of his being the creator of them; and the obligation to it is yet more increafed through his providential care of them and goodnefs to them; and ftill more fhould be found in them, feeing he will be the judge of them, and has a defpotic and uncontrolable power over them; and what is it that he cannot do who has done all this before related? though none can fear him aright but fuch who have the grace of fear put into their hearts by the Spirit of God: or elfe this may be prophetically faid, as what will be in the latter day, when not only the Jews-fhall fear the Lord and his goodnefs, Hof. iii. 5. but when the fulnels of the Gentiles, being brought into the church, it fhall fear and be enlarged; yea all nations fhall fear the Lord and glorify his name, and come and worfhip before him, J/a. Ix. 5-8. Rev. xv. 4.

¥. 9. For be /pake, and it was done, &c.} Or it was*, it came into being by a word fpeaking, almighty power going along with it; fee Gen. i. 3, 6,759» Tl, 14,15, 20,24. He commanded, and it frood faft; every created thing continued in its being; not only all things were produced into being by his all-commanding word and power, autu Fovis, as Maximus Tyrius {fpeaks*; but by the fame all things are upheld and confift, Heb. i. 3. Cal. i. 17. The poet © ufes the fame word of God in the creation of things; and is the phrafe in Gen. i, 3, admired by Longinus*: or this may refer to the implantation of the grace of fear in the hearts of his people; for as he fpeaks life into them in regeneration, commands light to fhine in their dark hearts, and fays to them when in their blood, live; fo by the mighty power of his word he commands the fear of him in them, and it continues.

y. 10. The Lord bringeth the counfel of the beathen to nought, &c.} The pfalmift having taken notice of the works of creation, in order to excite the faints to praife, proceeds to obferve the providence of God, and particularly that branch of it which ‘lies in difappointing the defigns of wicked men; it is wickednefs which they confult and devife, and this is againft the Lord’s people, his caufé and intereft, and fo againft himfelf; and though their fchemes are formed and contrived with a great deal of fubtlety, yet they are commonly blatted; whether laid by particular perfons, as by Abithophel againft David; or by nations, whole bodies of men, as of the Egyptians and Affyrians againft [ rael; and of Jews and Gentiles againft Chrift and his caufe, He maketh the devices of the people of none effet?; the fame thing is expreffed here as before in different words, for the farther confirmation of it, and that it might be attended to, This is the Lord’s doing, he is omnifcient, and knows all the fecret plots - and defigns of men; and he is omnipotent, and counter-acts them, and confounds them in all their meafures; and is faithful to his people, caufe, and intereft,

¥. 11. The counfel of the Lord Standeth for ever,

&c.] By which are meant, not the doétrines of the gofpel, nor the ordinances of it; though thefe will ftand firm, and remain to the end of the.

world; but the purpofes and decrees of God, which are wifely formed in himfelf, are eternal’ and infruftrable, and relate to all things in providence and grace. The Lord does all things according to the counfel of his will in the government of the world, and in the falvation of men: the choice of perfons to everlafting life is according to it; and fo are their redemption, effectual vocation, and glorification, to all generations; which, with refpect to his own people, are thoughts of peace, grace and mercy;° thefe are many, and within himfelf, were very early, even from all eternity, and have their fure and’ certain effect, J/a. xiv. 24. fee Prov. xix.21. J a.

xlvi. 10.; " y.12. Bleffed is the nation whofe God is the Lord, &c.} Who have an intereft in fuch a wonder-working God, both in creation and in vidence, and efpecially in grace: which, though it may havea principal regard to the nation of Tfrael, whofe God he was in a very diftinguifhing manner, yet muft not be limited to them; for he is the God of the Gentiles alfo: this nation is the chofen generation, the holy nation and peculiar people, both among Jews and Gentiles; and the Lord is the God of thefe; not only as the God of - nature and providence, but as the God of all grace,_ who muft be happy, fince he is their portion and exceeding great reward; nor fhall they want any good thing, nor need they fear any evil; they are:: oO on

The thoughts of bis heart on the heart of God, and cannot be feparated from his love; they are engraven on the palms of his hands, and fhall be helped, ftrengthened, and upheld with the right hand of his righteoufnefs; all things work together for their good; and this God of theirs will be their God and guide unto death; they may expect every needful good thing now, and all glory and happinefs hereafter. And she people whom be hath chofen for bis own inheritance; not J/rael only, but the Gentiles alfo; not all mankind, but a peculiar people, whom the Lord has chofen out of the world to be his pofleffion, and who are his jewels and peculiar treafure; thefe are happy, being the Lord’s portion, and the lot of his inheritance; and he choofes an inheritance for them, adopts and begets them unto it, and makes them meet to be partakers of it.

¥. 13. The Lord looketh from heaven, &c.| Where his throne and temple are, upon the earth and men, and things in it, as follows: He beboldeth all the fons of men; the evil and the good; which is contrary to the fenfe of many wicked men, who imagine he takes no notice of what is done here below; but his eye is upon all, upon all the workers of iniquity, how fecret foever they may be; and not only his eye of providence is upon good men, but his eye of love, grace and mercy; and he has a fpecial and diftinct knowledge of them: agreeable to this are fome expreflions of heathen writers; fays one“, ** the eye of God fees all things;” fays another‘, ‘¢ there is a great God in heaven, who fees * all things, and governs,”

¥. 14. From the place of bis habitation, &c.] Which is. heaven, that is, the habitation of his holinefs, and of his glory, J/a. Ixili. 15. He looketh upon all the inbabitants of the earth; good and bad; and not the nation of J/rael only, but the Gentile world, whom in former times he overlooked, but under the gofpel-difpenfation vifits in a way of mercy; by fending his Son. to die for them, by fpreading his gofpel among them, by calling them by his grace, by planting churches in the midft of them, and by continuing his word and ordinances, with them.

¥. 15. He fafbioneth their hearts alike, &c.] The Lord is the former and fafhioner of the heart, fpirit, or foul of man, even of all hearts and fpirits; whence he is called the father of {pirits, Hed. xii.g. fee Zech. xii. 1. and he is the former of them alike; which feems to intimate as if all fouls were alike, as they are made by the Lord; and:it may be, the difference there appears to be between them. afterwards may be owing to the make and conftitution of their bodies, to their education, and different. fituation, circumftances and advantages in life, wheref by the hearts of fome may be more opened and enlarged than others. Some render it together or altogether ®; which muft not be underftood of time, as if they were all made at once, but of equality; the one was made by him as well as the other; he is.the fafhioner of one and all of them, every whit of them; they are wholly fafhioned by him, and all that is in them, all the powers and faculties of the foul; and by him only, and not by the inftrumentality of another;, for fouls are created, not. generated; they are produced out of nothing, and not out of pre-exiftent matter, as bodies; parents contribute fomewhat to the bodies of their children, but not any thing to their fouls, God only is the

God of the fpirits of all flesh, Numb. xvi. 22. fome tranflate the word /ingly”; one by one, one after another in the feveral ages of time; for he continues to fafhion them, and is always doing it; fee Zech. xii. 1. And he forms the hearts of his own people anew for himfelf, for his own glory; he forms Chrift in them, and every grace of his Spirit; he forms them into one, and knits and unites them together in love, and makes them like to one another; for as face anfwers to face in water, fo do the hearts and experiences of the faints one to another, Prov. xxvii. 19. all which he does wholly and alone; and fince he fafhions the hearts of all men in every fenfe, he muft know them, which is the defign of this expreffion; he knows the hearts of wicked men, and all the wickednefs that is in them; he knows the hearts of good men, the worft that is in them, and alfo the beft, which he himfelf has put there. He confidereth all their works; the works of evil men, not only their more open ones, but their more fecret ones, and will bring them into judgment; and the works of good men, even their good works, which he will remember and reward y. 16. There is uo king faved by the muliitude of an bos, &c.) We may be at the head of an nu /merous army, and yet not get the victory over a leffer one, nor efcape fafe, but be taken by it: there ‘have been fuch inftances; and if he is faved, or gets the victory, it is not owing to the multitude with him, but to the Lord that gives falvation to kings, P/al. cxliv. 10.’ Hence it appears that even

‘fuch men need falvation themfelves, and cannot fave themfelves, though they have ever fo many at ‘command, and therefore are not to be trufted in; falvation is only of the Lord. 4 mighty man is not delivered by much Strength; as Goliath, with his great ftrength, could not deliver himfelf out of the hands of David, a ftripling; wherefore the mighty man fhould not glory in his might.

y. 17. A borfe is a vain thing for Safety, Bcc.) Though it is prepared for the day of battle, and. is a very warlike creature, and, of great fervice in war,. yet fafety only is of the Lord, Prov. Xxi, 31. this. is put for all kinds of military preparations. which men are apt to truftin, but fhould not, for they are a lie‘, as the horfe is here faid to be; that is, deceives and difappoints when trufted to; in like

/ manner’ the olive is faid to Jie, Hab. iii. 17. when hope of fruit from it is difappointed; fo fundus

| mendax in Horace*. ‘Neither jhall’ be’ deliver’ any by bis great Strength; in the time of battle; either by fighting for him, or fleeing with him.

y. 18. Bebold, the eye of the Lord is upon-themtbat. ear him, &c.] Not with dread of his wrath or diftruft of his grace, or for finifter ends and felAfh views, but with a godly fear; by which men hate’ evil, depart from it, are careful not to offend. God by it, but to. ferve and worfhip him;.on fuch is not only his eye of providence to protect from. danger, to fupply With the neceffaries of life, but of love and grace; he looks upon them with delight. and pleafure; his eye is upon them to. watch over them for good, to guard’ them from every enemy, and. from all evil, and to communicate-to them every needful meafure of grace. Upon them that hope in bis mercy; not his abfolute mercy, but his: fpecial mercy in Chrift,; which appears in the. provifion of him as a Saviour, in the miffion of him into this:. wortd,, world, and redemption by him; and is difplayed in regeneration, the pardon of fin, and eternal life: and {uch that hope in it are they that fee themfelves miferable creatures, and in need of it; and who are encouraged to hope in it from the plenty and abundance of it in the heart of God; and from the many inftances of it among men, and even fome the chief of finners; and they do hope in it for the forgivenefs of their fins, and for falvation and eternal glo- ‘ ry; and on thefe the eye of the Lord is, as before.

¥.19. Lo deliver their foul from death, &c.} Not ‘a corporal death, for the foul dies not, and is never in any danger of death; and fhould life, or the whole man, be intended here, yet thofe that fear the Lord, and hope in his mercy, are not exempted and fecured from a corporal death, but die as other men; though fometimes indeed they are remarkably preferved from death, and even in a time of general calamity; but a fpiritual death is meant, which while in a ftate of nature they are under, but being quickned at converfion they live fpiritually, and are preferved from dying any more in this fenfe; and alfo from an eternal death, which fhall never hurt them, nor have any power over them, And to keep them alive in famine, not corporal, though the Lord does give meat to them that fear him, and fometimes in a miraculous way provides for them; as by fending ravens to feed them, and by increafing the cruife of oil; fee J/a. xli. 17, 18. but fpiritual, a famine of hearing the word of the Lord; the Lord prepares a place for his church and people in the wildernefs, where they are privately nourifhed with the word and ordinances, and their fouls kept alive, Rev. xii. 6, 14.

¥. 20. Our foul waiteth for the Lord, &c.] This,and what follows, are the words of the church expreffing her expectation, faith, and joy, by reafon of what is fuggefted in the preceding verfes. She fignifies her expectation of good by waiting for the Lord; either for his coming in the flefh, and falvation by him; for which the patriarchs, prophets, and all the old Teftament-faints waited, Gen. xlix. 18. Ifa. xxv. 9. and fo the Targum paraphrafes it, Our foul waiteth for the redemption of his behaviour before Abimelech: who drove him and he departed.

A pfalm of David, when he changed

HE author of this pfalm is exprefied by | name; and the time and occafion of it are plainly intimated: it was compofed by David, when he changed bis behaviour before Abimelech; not Abimelech the prieft, fometimes called 4- bimelech, 1 Chron. xviii. 16. to whom David went alone for bread, pretending he was upon a.

private bufinefs of the king’s; to which fenfe the Syriac verfion inclines, rendering the words, when be went to the houfe of the Lord, and gave the firft- Sruits to the priefs. But this Abimelech was king of Gath, the fame with Achifh, 1 Sam. xxi.. 10. who either had two names; of this of Abimelech, as it fhould feem,was a common name to all the kings of the Philiftines; fee Gen. xx. 2. and xxvi. 8. as Pharaoh was to the Egyptian kings, and Czfar to the Roman emperors: the name fignifies a fatherking, or my father-king, or a royal father; as kings fhould be the fathers of their country: before him David changed: bis behaviour, his tafte, fenfe, or

the Lord; or for his fpiritual coming, his ap —;

pearance to them, and gracious prefence with them, he having been for fome time’ abfent; and itis right and good fo to do, and in the iflue proves advantageous, //a. vill.-17. Lam. ili, 20. and this being foul-waiting, it denotes the heartinefs, fincerity, and earneftnefs of it. Ae ts ouF help, and our fhield; the Lord is tue help of his’ people in time of trouble, when none elfe is or can be; and he isa prefent one, and helps right early, and at the beft feafon: and he is their fhield, who encompafies them about with his love and favour, and keeps them by his power in the greateft fafety; all which encourages their waiting upon him, and expectation of good things from him. ory ¥. 21. For our beart shall rejoice in bim, 8c.) Not in fin, nor in themfelves and in their boaftings, all fuch rejoicing is evil; but in the Lord, in bis word; as the Targum is, in the effential Word of God, Chrift Jefus; in his perfon, righteoufnefs, and falvation; and this joy is heart-joy, inward. Joy, real- joy, joy in the holy Ghoft; and is unfpeakable and tull ‘of glory. This is what the pfalmift calls upon the {faints to do, in the beginning of the pfalm; and fo his end in Compofing it’ is anfwered. Becaufe we bave truSted in bis holy name; that is, in himfelf, who is holy, juft, and good; and fo faithful to every word of promile, to every engagement of his, and therefore to be trufted in: and hence it appears, that the joy be-’ fore fpoken of, is the joy of faith. pe ¥.22. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, 8cc.] That is, an application of it in its effeéts: itis a. prayer for a communication of grace and mercy to help in a time of need; and for’a difcovery of pardoning grace and mercy; and it is a prayer of © faith; for the mercy of the Lord is upon his people in great plenty, and it continues; and they have reafon to believe it ever will, Pfal. cili. 17. According as we hope in thee; not according to any merits of theirs, but according to the meafure of grace, of the grace of hope which God had be-’ {towed on them, and encouraged them to exercife on him, in expectation of finding grace and mercy’ « away, 5 Poste wen reafon: he imitated a mad-man; behaved as if he’ was out of his fenfes, fcrabbling on the doors of the gates, and letting his fpittle fall down’

upon his beard; for he being known and made known by the fervants of the king, he- was in great fear of lofing his life, being in the Hands”

of an enemy, and who he might juftly fear would revenge the death of their champion Goliatl wherefore he took this method to get himfelf de-”

fpifed and. neglected by them, and efcape ot their hands: and which fucceeded; for Abimelecb, treated him with contempr, was | i his fervants for bringing him in and ordered them to take him away, or difmifs’

him; which is here expreffed by this” phrafe,~ who drove bim away, with fcornand indignation, — and be departed to’ the | cave, of Adullam, glad av infpiration of the Spirit: of God, he compofed the following pfalm; fee 1 Sam. xxi. 10—15. and xxii. 1. ¥. 1. Iwill blefs the Lord at all times, &c.] That is, afcribe blefling, give honour, praife, and glory to him, both as the God of nature and providence, for every temporal mercy; and that every day, and at all times in the day; fince thefe are renewed every morning, and continue all the day long: and as the God of grace, for all fpiritual bleffings,; and that continually, becaufe thefe laft always; they are irreverfible, unchangeable, and without repentance; yea, faints have reafon to blefs God in times of adverfity as well as profperity, fince it might have been worfe with them than it is; they have a mixture of mercy in all, and all things work together for their good. His praife fhall continually be in my mouth; not the praife of which God is the author, but of which he is the objeét; whichis due unto him, and is given him on account of the perfections of his nature, and the works of his hands, and the bleffings of his providence and grace; this, the pfalmift fays, fhould be in his mouth: his meaning is, that he fhould not only retain in his heart a grateful fenfe of the divine favours, but fhould exprefs it with his lips; fhould both make melody in his heart to the Lord, and vocally fing his praife; and that continually, as long as he lived, or had any being, P/al. cxlvi. 2. ¥. 2. My foul (hall make her boaft in the Lord, &c.] Not.in men, nor in any outward enjoyment, nor in any works of righteoufnefs, but in the Lord; in the word of the Lord, as the Targum; in the Lord Jefus ‘Chrift; in his wifdom, ftrength, riches, righteoufnefs, redemption, and falvation; in intereft in him, and communion with him: and this is not tongue, but foul-boafting; and not flafhy and felfifh, but folid, fpiritual, and hearty; and with all the powers and faculties of the foul; fee 1'Cor. i. 29, 30, 31. The humble fhall -bear thereof; either of the deliverance the pfalmift had out of the hands of his enemies; or of his bleffing and praifing the Lord for the fame, and making his boaft in him as the God of his falvation; or of both: of thefe humble ones, fee the note on fP/a/. x. 12. And be glad; for fuch rejoice with them that rejoice, and are glad at heart that others fhare in the goodnefs and grace of God; and alfo becaufe by {uch an inftance of the divine power and kindnefs, they are encouraged to hope that he will, in his own time, deliver them out of their afflictions and diftrefies alfo. ¥. 3. O magnify the Lord with me, &c.] The pfalmift ‘invites the. humble’ ones, who’ he knew would rejoice at’ the goodnefs of God tohim, to join with him in afcribing greatnefs to the Lord, which is meant by magnifying him; for he cannot be made great by men, only declared how great he is, and that can only be done in an imperfect manner. And let us exalt bis name together, by proclaiming him to be the moft High; by making mention of his glorious perfeétions and works, that he be exalted; and by praifing him ‘in the higheft ftrains; or by having the high praifes of him in their mouths; and there is more pleafure, as well _ astmore glory brought to God, by doing this in a focial way, or by a number of faints joining together in fuch fervice, 3 Wid IS We 4. T fought the Lord, and be heard me, 8&c.] Not that he fought the Lord publickly in his houfe and ordinances, for he was now at Gath; but privately by prayer and fupplication; and that not vocally but mentally; for he was in the midft of the fervants of the king of Gath, yet earneftly, di+-’ ligently, and with his whole heart, being in great diftrefs; when it was right to feek the Lord, and which fhewed him to be.a good man; and the Lord heard and anfwered even his filent groans, which could not be uttered, And delivered me from all my fear, of being feized on by Achifh, king of Gath, and of lofing his life for killing Goliath: and many are the fears of God’s people, both from within and from without, by reafon of fin, Satan, and the world; butthe Lord faves them out of the hands of all their enemies, grants them his prefence, and fhews them their intereft in himfelf, which {caters all their fears,

¥. 5. They looked to him and were lightened, &c.} That is, the bumble ones, y. 2. and fo this isa reafon why they fhould join in praifing and magnifying the Lord; thefe /ooked up to God in prayer and by faith, when in diftreffed and uncomfortable circumftances, for help and deliverance, and a fupply of every needful good thing; and they were exlightened, fo the Targum renders it, their faces were enlightened,’as Farcht and Aben Exra interpret it, in oppofition to what follows: they muft have been enlightened before they could look, but by looking to the Lord more light was gained: this chiefly defigns the light of joy, peace, and comfort, which is had in a way of believing: fome render the word and: flowed ', as a river does, that is, tothe Lord, as in Fer, xxxi. 12. So Kimchi and Ben Melech explain the word 5 and it denotes both the numbers of them that looked up to the Lord in their diftrefs, and the fwiftnefs of their motionto him, and their earneftnefs and fervour of mind; fo faith is not only a looking to Chrift, but a going forth. unto him. And their. faces were -not afoamed,; having what they prayed and looked for, and what they hoped and believed they fhould have; namely, deliverance and falvation, and fo peace and pleafure.) a y¥. 6. This poor man cried, &c.] Singling out fome one perfon from among the humble who was remarkably delivered; it is the common cafe of the people of God to be poor and afflicted, and in their afflictions they cry unto the Lord to be fupported under them, and delivered out of them: or this may be underftood of David-himfelf, who - was poor, not with refpect to outward things, but in fpirit; was much afflicted, and efpecially greatly diftreffed when in the court of Achi/fh; at which time he cried unto the Lord, as was his ufual way, and that internally, as Mofes did, Exod. xiv. 15. Some think Jefus Chrift is intended by this poor man, who was poor in temporals, though rich, and Lord of all; and was greatly afflicted, both in body and foul; and who, in the days of his flefh, offered up prayers and fupplications, with {trong crying and tears, Heb. v. 7. And the Lord heard him, and faved him out of all his troubles; fo the Lord always heard his Son Jefus Chrift,. and efpecially in the day of falvation, and delivered him out of all his troubles, both of body and foul, when he raifed him from the dead, and gave him. glory; and he héard ‘David his fervant, as he often did; particularly when at Gath, and made way for his efcape from thence; and from whence.he came fai to the cave of Adul/am; and the Lord hears all hie poor and affliéted ones, when they cry unto him, and in the iffue faves them from all their troubles, by reafon of a body of fin and death, the tempta> tions of Satan, and the perfecutions of men.

y¥..7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, &c.) By whom may be meant, either the uncreated angel, the Lord Jefus Chrift, the angel of God’s prefence, and of the covenant, the Captain of falvation, the leader and commander of the people; and whofe falvation is as walls and _bulwarks about them; or as an army furrounding them: or acreated angel may be intended, even a fingle one, which is fufficient to guard a multitude of faints, fince one could deftroy at once fuch a vatt number of enemies, as in 2 Kings xix. 35, or one may be put for more, fince they are an innumerable company that are on the fide of the Lord’s people, and to whom they are joined; and thele may be faid to encamp about them, becaufe they are an hoft or army; fee Gen, xxxii., 2. Luke ii. 13. and are the guardians of the faints, that itand up for them and protect them, as well as minifter tothem. And delivereth them, out of the hands of all their enemies. David had a guard, an army of thefe about him, in the court of Achi/b, who preferved him from being feized on, and receiving any hurt there; and who brought him from thence in fafety: there is no doubt but he here {peaks his own i

¥. 8. O tajte, and fee that the Lord is good, &c.| He is effentially, infinitely, perfectly, immutably, and folely good in himfelf; and he is communicatively and diffufively good to others; heis the author of all good, but not of any evil, in a moral)

here meant; or particularly the leafhamong them, fenfe; this chiefly regards his fpecial grace and goodnefs through Chrift: all the divine perfons in the Godhead are good; the Father is good, he has good defigns towards his people, has provided good things for them, made good promifes to them, and beftows good gifts on them: the Son is good; the good Shepherd that has laid down his lite for the fheep; he is the fountain of all grace and goodnefs to his churches, and to particular believers; he has wrought a good work for them, the work of redemption, and he fpeaks a good word on their behalf in the court of heaven: the Spirit is good; he works good things in the hearts of the fons of men, and fhews good things unto them; and gracious fouls, fuch as the pfalmift here calls upon, are capable of tafting and difcerning how good the Lord is in fome meafure; fee Pal, cxix. 103. Cant. ii, 3. 1 Pet. ii. 2, 3. Whilft unregenerate, their tafte is vitiated, and remains unchanged, and fin is what they feed upon with pleafure, and fo difrelifh every

Every man: defires life, even a natural life; itis thing, that is good; but in converfion a new tafte is, given, fo as to havea faving,experimental knowledge of the grace and goodnefs of God in Chrift, an appli-. cation. of it to them; and in fuch manner as to live upon it, and be nourifhed, by it; and though this is not a fuperficial tafte of things, like that of hypocrites, nor a fingle one only, being frequently, repeated; yet it is but a tafte in, comparifon of the enjoyment of it in. the heavenly ftate.; and.every, tafte now influences, and engages truft in, the. Lord, as follows. Bieffedis the man that trufteth in him; fee the note.on Pfal. ii. 12. the Targum renders it, that tru& in bis Word, y.9. O fear the Lord, ye bis faints, &c.). Who are fantified by his Spirit, and fo are openly and manifeftatively his; thefé are exhorted to fear, the -Lord. with reverence and, godly fear; and. great reafon there is why they fhould fear him, fince he is King of faints, and fear is due to him from. them, ~ and feeing they have received many inftances of grace and goodnefs from him, and therefore fhould fear him for his goodnefs-fake, and befides, they, andthey only, know him, and have the grace of fear in them, and fo only can exercife it on him. For there is ao want to them that fear him; not in fpirituals, fince fo much goodnefs is Jaid up for them; the heart of God is towards them, his fecret is with them, his eye is upon them, and the fun of righteoufnels arifes on them; and both graceand glory are given to them; nor in temporals, fince godlinefs, or the fear of God, has the promife of this life, as well as of that.whichistocome. - ¥. 10. The young lions do lack, and fiber bunger, &c.} According to Apollinarius, ** the needy rich, ** whom famine prefies;”, fee Fob iv. 10, 11. But they that feek the Lord; by prayer, diligently, with their whole heart, and in the fincerity of their fouls; the Targum is, that feek the dotirine of the Lord; that feek inftruction from him, and to be taught by him: thefe fhall not want any good thing; which God has purpofed to beftow upon them, which he

| has promifed ynto them, and provided for them;

nor any thing that fhall be for their good, y. 11. Come, ye children, &c.} eaning either his own children, thofe of his own family, judging

Fit his duty to inftruct them, and bring them up in the fear of the Lord; or his {ubjeéts, to whom he {tood in the relation of a father, as every king does 5 or all his hearers, as thofe who attended the pro~ phets are called the children, or fons of the prophets; or young people in common may bedefign-

| ed, who. fhould be taught betimes their duty te God and men: unlefs the children of Godin general are called babes and little children, who are little in

‘their own eyes, are modeft and humble; and who, as they need inftruction, are moft forward to receive it; and the word come does.not fo much defiga local motion, a drawing near to hear,. as readinefs to: hear, and a clofe attention of mind; as follows. Hearken unto me; as unto a father, giving good

_ doétrine and wholefome advice; Prov. ii, 1, 2. and liv. a5 2. which he had fo often fpoken of, and fo many good | things are promifed| to them that have it, and evers in the context: this the pfalmift couldnet.give, nor ‘can any man, only teach it, fhew the nature of it,iar ‘what it lies, how it fhews itfelf, and what are’ the effects it produces: this is the: firft leffon tobe taugha and learned; for itis the beginning of wifdom; ig includes all grace, and every duty, and! regards the whole worfhip of God, and the manner-of it, —

I will teach you the fear of the Lord x,

y. 12. What man is he that defireth life? &c:}:

more defirable than al] things in it; efpecially. am healthful life, without which the bleffings and mers cies of life. cannot be.comfortably enjoyed and till — > life of np ct ‘ life, with amaffuence:of good things, and even along one:: thought 1 be-rather that a, {piritual; life ¥ here es ons comfortable one, a life, free. from, the remorfes of a guilty, confcience,, from,the fear of hell, dread of death,; a life.of faith on Chrift, and coma munion with him and:a.life.of fobriety, righteoufnefs, and. holinefs;. and per oe of alli to, underftand, it of eternal, lifes iwhichis life for: the days.of it are evil, and,efpecially wh; pega out; the days of old: age Ponies unlefs the days. of the: Son-of,man,. of enjoying, the prefence, of "God eon mb nances, fhould beintended; though rather, and many days of eternity, evenlength of days sot't das - ws 4 ever ever and ever, in which will be fulnefs of joy, and never-ceafing and never-fading pleafures. That be may fee good; there is good to be feen and enjoyed in this life, which if the faints did not believe they fhould fee and enjoy, they would often faint; and this good lies in the participation of the bleffings of grace, and in fellowfhip with Father, Son, and Spirit: but the great and lafting good'to be feen and enjoyed, is in the world to come, when God fhall be all in all, be feen as he is, and the faints fhall inherit all things. ¥. 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, &c.J | This, and what follows in this and the next verfe, point at the things wherein the fear of God thews itfelf; and fuggeft, that thofe who have it, and which is known by thefe fruits, fhall enjoy the defirable and good days before mentioned. The tongue is an inftrument of much evil, an unruly member, and needs reftraint; and it is from evil, and not from good, it is to be kept; from evil- {peaking of God, from curfing and {wearing; from evil-{fpeaking of men, reproaching and reviling them; from filthy fpeaking, from all obfcene and unchafte words, and from all lying ones; for where fuch evil-{peaking is indulged, the fear of God cannot be inthat man. And thy lips from /peaking guile; hypocritical and deceitful words, {peaking with flattering lips and a double heart; fome fpeak bad words in common converfation, through an evil habit and cuftom; and fome fpeak good words with an ill defign; and in neither of them is the fear of God before their eyes, nor in their hearts. y. 14. Depart from evil, &c.] This denotes that evil is near to men; it keeps clofe to them, and fhould be declined and fhunned: and it regards all forts cf evil; evil men, and their evil company; evil things, evil words and works, and all appearance of evil; and the fear of the Lord fhews itfelf in an hatred of it, and a departure from it, Prov. viii. 13. and xvi. 6. And dogood; not only acts of beneficence to all in necelfitous circumftances, but every good work; whatever the word of God directs, or fuggefts fhould be done; and which fhould be done from right principles of faith and love, and to right ends, the glory of God, and the good of his intereft; and Chrift fhould be looked and applied unto for grace and ftrength to perform, all which are evidences of the true fear of God. Seek peace, and purfue it; in the world, and with all men, as much as poffibly can be; in neighbourhoods, cities and ftates, and in the churches of ‘Chrift, and with the faints, as well as with God through Chrift; and which in every fenfe is to be ‘purfued after with eagernefs, and to be endeavoured for with diligence; fee Rom, xii. 18, and xiv. 19. Heb. xii. 14. j y. 15. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, &c.] Thefe are the fame with them that fear the Lord, and do good; not that they become righteous in the fight of God, or are juftified before him, by. their fear of him, and by their good works; ‘but thefe are the fruits and effeéts of grace, fhew- ‘ing them to be righteous perfons.; for it is only by ‘the righteoufnefs of Chrift that men are righteous ‘before God: and upon thefe the eyes of the Lord are; not only his eye of providence, to watch over them, proteét them, and fupply them with good, things, but his eye of love; with complacency and honourable; nor does he ever withdraw his eyes from them, Job xxxvi. 7. And bis ears are open unto their cry; for though they are righteous, they are fometimes in diftrefs; their affictions are many; the good days they are to fee are hereafter; and at thofe times they cry unto the Lord; which is to be underftood of prayer, and of the vehemency and fervency of it, when they have the ear of God, and he fhews himfelf to be a God hearing and an{wering prayer.

¥. 16. The face of the Lord is againft them that do evil, &c.| Not againft every one that fins; for the righteous are not without fin; they have fin in them, and they do no good without it; but againft. them that live in fin, whofe courfe of life is a feries of wickednefs, and they are workers of iniquity; and have no fenfe of fin, nor forrow for it, go on in it without fhame or fear; againft thefe the face of the Lord is, he fhews his refentment, and ftirs up his wrath, For the Lord to be againft a man is dreadful; a fearful thing it is to fall into his hands as a God of vengeance; there is no ftanding before him when once he is angry: and to have the face of God againft a man is intolerable, when it is to deftroy, and To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth; fo that they fhall be no more thought of, nor fpoken of, but with contempt and reproach; an everlafting mark of infamy being upon their names; fee Prov. x. 7.:

y. 17. The righteous cry, &c.] The word righteous is not in the original text, but is rightly fupplied in our verfion, as it is in the Targum, and by Farchi; and fo Kimchi and Ben Melech obferve, that thefe words are not to be connected with the preceding verfe, but with the verfe before that; and they are indeed an amplification of the laft claufe of it; and the cry of the righteous is’ meant, to which the ears of the Lord are open; though 4- ben Ezra thinks, that thefe words are to be underftood of them that do evil, and of their cry to the Lord, when they turn from their evil ways; but the former fenfe is beft. And the Lord beareth, and. delivereth them out of all their troubles; their inward troubles, through the workings of corruption in their hearts; throughthe violent affaults of Satan, the blafphemous thoughts he injects into them, and his folicitations of them to fin; and through divine defertions, and their outward troubles; through afflictions of body, lofies of eftate and friends, and the reproaches and perfecutions of men; out of all thefe the Lord fooner or later delivers his people who cry unto him.

y..18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, &c.] Who are prefied and bore down with afflictions, by the forrow of heart under which their fpirits are broken, Prov. xv. 13. or with a fenfe of fin and forrow for it, for which their hearts fmite them, and they are wounded by it, and broken with it: to thefe the Lord is xigh; not in a general way only, as he is to all men, being God omniprefent, but in a fpecial manner; he comes and manifefts himfelf to them in a gracious way, pours in the oil and wine of his love, and binds up their broken hearts; yea, comes and dwells with them: he does not pafs by them and negleé&t them, much lefs make the breach worfe; he does not break the bruifed reeds, but he heals their breaches. And faveth fuch as be of a contrite delight he looks upon them, as clothed with the /pirit; not in a legal, but in an evangelical way 5 righteoufnefs of his Son; and it is with pleafure he looks upon them, that being well-pleafing in his fight; feeing by it the Law is magnified and made who are humbled under a fenfe of fin, and melted down in true repentance, under a view of the love and grace of God; and are poor and mean in their we. own eyes: to thefe the Lord has refpe&t; the facrifices of a broken and contrite fpirit are not de- {pifed by him, but accepted through faith in Chrift; and fuch he faves with an everlafting falvation in him.

y. 19. Many are the affliffions of the righteous, &c.] This may be underftood of fome one particular righteous perfon, fince the fingular number is here made ufe of; whereas the plural is always ufed before, when the righteous are made mention of; and the: Lord Jefus Chrift may be defigned, who is eminently. and emphatically the righteous; he is righteous both as God and man, and as Mediator, in the difcharge of every branch of his office; and his afflictions were many, which he endured from men, from devils, and from God himfelf: many were the afflictions of his body, which he bore when buffeted, fcourged, and crucified; and many were the afflictions of his foul, when he bore the fins of histpeople, endured the wrath of God for them, and was forfaken by him; though none of thefe were for any fins of his own, but for the fins of others; and out of them all the Lord delivered him at Jaft, and fet him at his own right hand: or this may be underftood of every one of the righteous;:who, though they are juftified from fin, and are faved from wrath, yet have many afflictions; which are evz/s in themfelves, as the word ™ may be rendered, and are very troublefome and diftreffing; and thefe are great and grievous for quality, and many and abundant for quantity; though no more than it is the will of God fhould be, and not one too many. But the Lord delivereth him out of them all; as Chrift was, and all his people will be; if not in this life, by giving refpites and intervals, as he fometimes does; yet hereafter, when the righteous are completely delivered out of all their trials and exercifes, fo as that they fhall never return more upon them, The word tranflated affii‘tions, as it fignifies evi/s, may be fafely interpreted of moral evils, as well as of evils of afflictions: it is the fame word that is ufed for moral evil in ¥. 21. and then the fenfe is, that many are the fins committed by righteous perfons; for there are none without fin, in many things they all offend; yet they fhall not perifh by them, but they fhall be delivered from them; as, from the dominion of them by the power of grace, and from the guilt of them by the blood of Chrift, and. from condemnation for them through his righteouinefs; fo hereafter from the very being of them, and all moleftation and difturbance. by them. a!

y¥. 20. He keepeth all bis bones; not one of them is broken.} ‘This is literally true of Chrift, in whom the type of the paffover-lamb had its accomplithment, and this paffage alfo; fee Exod. xii. 46. Fobn xix, 31—=36. and feems better to agree with him than with any of his.members, fince the bones of many of them have been broken by one accident or another; and efpecially many of the martyrs of Jefus have had all their bones broken upon the rack or wheel; wherefore, to underftand thefe words of them, might tend to create uneafinefs and defpondency in the minds of fuch, who by any means have their bones broken; as. if they were not righteous and they fhall be far from being de hand, be received into his kingd perfons: this promife not being fulfilied in them: and to interpret this of the Lord’s keeping the bones of his people in the grave, and in the refurrection putting them together again; this is no other than what will be done to the wicked; it feems therefore beft to underftand the whole of Chrift; and it looks as if this paffage was had in view as rule xix. 36. fince a {cripture is referred to; but if it is interpreted of the righteous in general, it muft be with a limitation; as that their bones are all kept by the Lord, and not one is broken without his knowledge and will; and that they are not broken finally, but reftored again perfect and whole in the refurreétion; and fo will continue to all eternity: the phrafe, without entering into particulars, may in general defign the care of Providence over the righteous; with this compare Matth. x. 29, 30.

y. 21. Evil fall flay the wicked, &c.} Meaning either the evil they defigned againft the righteous, fhall return and fall upon their heads, to their own ruin; or the evil of affli@tion, which to them is the evil of punifhment, both here and hereafter, from which they will have no deliverance in the end; though the righteous have from their afflictions, being not properly punifhments, but chattifements for fin, and are but for a time; or elfe the evil of fin, which is the caufe of death corporal and eternal. And they that bate the righteous fhall be defolate; or fhall be guilty", be found fo; or fball be condemned, or damned, as the Targum renders it. All wicked men hate the righteous, both Jefus Chrift the righteous, and his people; and that becaufe they are righteous, and do not run into the fame excefs of wickednefs with them; thefe will be arraigned at the day of jadement, and will be convicted of all their hard fpeeches which they have fpoken againft Chrift and his members; and will be pronounced guilty, and will be punifhed with everlafting deftruction. —, OF y. 22. The Lord redeemeth the foul of his fervants, &c.] Who are made fo by his grace in the day of his power, and are willing to ferve him, and do ferve him with their minds, readily and chearfully; and the foul of thefe, which is the more noble part of them, and is of more worth than a world, the redemption of which is precious, and requires a great price, the Lord redeems; not that their bodies ate neglected, and not redeemed; but this is mentioned as the principal part, and for the whole; and this redemption is by the Lord, who only is able to effeét it, and which he has obtained through his precious blood; and here it feéms to denote the application’ of it in its effets; that’is, the forgivenefs of fin, juftification, and fan tion, fince it refpeéts fortibehing that is conti; doing. And none of them that truf in bim foal defolate; or be guilty’, or condemned, or damne becaufe they are juftified from all the fins they hay been guilty of, through the redemption th: Chrift Jefus; and having believed in fhall not be damned, according to Mark and miferable; they fhall ftand at Cl mug’ aie ae ti yicd 1 boa

2 non rei fiunt, Cocceius; non punientur, Gejerus; fhall not be condemned as guilty, Ainfworthh = i-Lihe gir air So: ae gh HIS pfalm feems to have been written by David, when he was perfecuted by Saul; and when many falfe charges were brought againft him by his courtiers; and when he was the icorn and derifion of the people; the fubject of it is pretty much of the fame kind with the feventh pfalm, and might be written about the fame time that was, and on the fame occafion; and it may be applied to the church and people of God in like cafes. ‘There is a paflage in it, ¥. 19. which our Lord feems to refer to and apply to himfelf, ‘Fobu xv. 25. and fome interpret the whole of it concerning him. The Aradic verfion calls it a prophecy of the incarnation; though there does not appear any thing in it applicable to that.

y. 1. Plead my caufe, O Lord, with them that firive with me, &c.| Meaning Saul and his courtiers; concerning whom he elfewhere defires that the Lord would judge between them, plead his caufe, and deliver him; as he accordingly did, and maintained it, and the righteoufnefs of it,-1 Sam. xxiv. 12—15. P/al. ix. 4. So Chrift pleaded not his own caufe as man, but committed himfelf to him that judgeth righteoufly; and his people leave their caufe with him, who is their advocate, and is able to plead it thoroughly; and does plead it againft wicked and ungodly men, who unrighteoufly charge them; againft Satan the accufer of the brethren, who ftands at their right hand to refift them; and againft their own hearts, and the fins of them, which luft and war againft them, and condemn them. Fight againft them that fight againft me; fo the Lord is fometimes reprefented.as a man of war, and Chrift as a warrior fighting for the faints; and fafe are they on whofe fide he is; but miferable all fuch who are found fighters againft him and his; for none ever oppofed him and profpered.

y¥..2. Take hold of fhield and buckler, &c.) Defenfive weapons; not that the Lord ftands in need of any of thefe to defend himfelf with: but the fenfe is, that he would be as thefe to David; as he was to him, and is to allhis people; namely, their fhield and buckler: he gives unto them the fhield of falvation; he encompafies them about with his favour as with a fhield, and keeps them by his power fafe from all theirenemies. And fland up for mine help; for which the Lord arifes, and ftands by his people, and againft their enemies, delivering them out of their hands..

y¥. 3. Draw out alfo the fpear, &c.]_ An offenfive weapon; expreflive of the vengeance which God fometimes takes of the enemies of his people, when he bends his bow, fhoots his arrows, whets his glittering fword, and his hand takes hold of judgment. And flop the way againft them that perfecute me: that they might not overtake him; God can hinder, and he fometimes does hinder perfecutors from overtaking his people in their ftraits; and as he hedges up their way with thorns, that they cannot proceed as they have begun, fo he hedges up the way of their enemies; interpofes himfelf and his power, and isa wall of fire about them; a wall for the defence and fecurity of his faints, and a wall of fire for the confumption of thofe that rife up againft them. ‘The words may be rendered, draw out the fpear and fword, to meet thofe that perfecute me’; for 9930 is anoun, and fignifies a fword fhut up in its fcabbard; from whence /agaris comes, which is one kind of a fword. Say unto my foul, I am thy falvation: Chrift is the falvation of his people; he is the only perfon appointed, provided, promifed, and fent. to be the Saviour; and he is the alone author of falvation; it is wrought out by him, and it is in him, and ia him only; and therefore he is called their falvation, and the falvation of God: and they are interefted in the falvation which is in him; it was defigned, prepared, and wrought out for them, and for them only; and it is applied unto them by the Spirit, and they fhall perfectly enjoy it to all eternity: and yet fometimes they are at a lofs about their intereft in it, and defire it might be made known unto them, which was the cafe of the pfalmift here; they, as he, fee their neceffity of it, and that there is no comfort nor fafety without it; they are wonderfully delighted with the excellency of it, that it is fo great in itfelf, fo fuitable to them, fo compleat and perfect, and of an everlafting duration; yet, what through the hidings of God’s face, the temptations of Satan, the greatnefs of their fins, and the prevalence of unbelief, they cannot tell how to believe their intereft in it; yet moft earneftly defire the Lord would fhew it to them, and affure © them of it; which favour, when granted, is by the _witneffings of the Spirit to their fpirits, that they are the children of God, and the redeemed of the Lamb: and this is faid particularly to them; it is not a difcovery of falvation by Chrift in general, that they have before, but it is a faying to their fouls, that it is theirs; and when this is fpoken home to the foul by the Spirit of God, it is effectua]; and removes unbelief at once, and fills with joy unfpeakable and full of glory.

¥. 4. Let them be confounded, and put to foame, that eek after my foul, &c.| This petition and what follows, which feem to be by way of imprecation, are to be confidered as prophecies of what would be, and as expreffions of faith that fo it fhould be; and are not to be drawn into examples, and to be imitated by private perfons; nor are they contrary to thofe evangelical rules, which require men to love their enemies, and pray for them 5 to give place to wrath, and not meditate vengeance, nor take it: and fo it was with David’s enemies. Sau/, who hunted after his foul or life to take it away, was filled with fhame and confufion, when David, having cut off the fkirt of his garment, held it up to him; by which he was convinced that his life was in his hands, and he did not take it away, though he was feeking after his: and fo it will fare with the enemies of Chrift, the Jews; who fought to take away his life, and did take it away,when they fhall fee him come in the clouds of heaven,whom they have pierced; and in like manner will it be with the enemiesof all his people, whom nothing will content but their lives, when they fhall fee the lambs they have worried and butchered, on Chrift’s right hand and they on the left; and to the fheep, faid, Come ye blefled, and to them, Go, ye curled. Let them be turned back and brought to confufion, that devifemy burt, as Saul did Davia’s, even when he made the moft fpecious fhew of affection and refpect unto him, as well as when he more openly perfecuted him; and more than once was he turned back with fhame, and departed home; fee 1 Sam. xxiv. 22. and xxvi. 25. The Jews, that came to apprehend Chrift, together with the Roman foldiers, and who, had devifed and intended his hurt, went backward and fell to the ground with fhame and confufion, when having afked them who they fought, and they had replied, told them, he was the perfon; and how often has it been, that when wicked men have devifed deceitful matters againft the members of Chrift, that their counfel has been carried headlong, they have not been able to perform their enterprizes; a hook has been put in their nofe, and a bridle in their jaws, and they have been turned back the way they came, with fhame and difgrace,

¥. 5. Let them be as chaff before the wind, &c.] As they are; fee Pfal. i. 4. and let the angel of the Lord chafethem, either a good angel, who is the Lord’s, his creature that minifters unto him, and is ready to obey his orders; and who, as he encamps about the faints and protects them, fo he is able to deftroy their enemies; as one angel in a night deftroyed all the firft-born in Egypt, and another the whole army of the 4fyrians, Exod. xii. 29.2 Kings xix, 35. an angel of the Lord, who is fwift to fly, and fo to chafe and overtake, and able to execute whatever is the will of the Lord: or elfe an evil angel, who is the Lord’s, being made by him, though not made evil by him; and who is under his reftraints, and can do nothing but by his permiffion; and who fometimes is employed by the Lord, as the executioner of his wrath upon wicked men; is fuffered to diftrefs and torture their confciences in this life, and hereafter drag them into everlafting burnings, prepared for the devil and his angels.

¥. 6. Let their way be dark and flippery, &c.} In which they run before the angel, chafing and purfuing them; fo that they know not where they are, at what they ftumble, whither to flee, nor how to ftand; the ways of wicked men are as darknefs, they know not in what condition they are, and whither they are going; and utter darknefs, even blacknefs of darknefs, is referved for them: but here it means a calamitous, uncomfortable, fickle, and unftable fituation in this life; fee Fer. xxiii, 11, 12. The allufion is to fome of the valfeys in the land of Pa/eftine, which were dark, and the roads in them very fmooth and flippery, as travellers in thofe parts have obferved%, 4nd let the angel of God perfecute them; fee the note on the preceding verie.;

¥. 7. For without caufe have they bid for me their net in apit, &c.] This is faidin allufion to the cuftom of digging pits, and putting nets into them for the catching of wild beafts; and covering them with ftraw or duft, or fuch like things, as Farchi obferves, that they might not be difcerned; and which intends the fecret and crafty methods taken by David’s enemies to enfnare him and deftroy him; though he had given them no caufe to ufe him in fuch a manner; which is an aggravation of their fins, anda reafon of the above imprecations, as well as of what follows: and in the fame manner, and without any juft caufe, Chrift and his members have been treated by wicked men, and. therefore their damnation is juft, and. will be. inevitable;

Which without caufe they have digged for my fouls which is added for further explanation-fake, and to aggravate their fin, and to fhew the juftnefs of their punifhment.

y¥. 8. Let deftruction come upon him at unawares, &c.] Ora /torm ', fuch as is caufed in the eaftern countries by a fouth-wind, very fudden, violent, and deftructive *: the fingular number being here ufed, fome Jewifh commentators, as Kimchi, have thought Sau/ is particularly meant; and fome chriftian interpreters have been of opinion that 7udas is intended: the imprecations here may be compared with thofe which refpect him, P/a/. cix. 6, 75 8. Though this may regard every one of the enemies of David, or of Chrift and his people, whofe ruin and deftruétion will come upon them unawares; fee 1 Theff. v.3. Rev. xviii. 7,8. And let bis net that be bath laid catch himfelf; a figurative exprefiion,

‘| agreeable to the allufion before made, and which is explained in the next claufe. Jnto that very de= ftrudtion let bim fall, which he had defigned and contrived for others; fo Haman was hanged on the fame gallows he had prepared for Mordecai, and fo it often is in the courfe of Providence, that the wicked fall into the fame calamity they have intended and endeavoured to bring others into; fee Pfal. vii. 15, 16. and ix. 15, 16.

y¥. 9. And my foul fhall be joyful in the Lord, &c.] — Not in the deftruétion of his enemies, but in the God of his falvation; the Targum is, In the word of the Lord; the effential Word of God, the promifed Meffiah, Saviour, and Redeemer. Chrift is the object of a believer’s joy 5 he rejoices in his perfon, as he is the mighty God, able to fave him, and to keep what he has committed to him, and

‘to preferve him from falling; as he is God and man in one perfon, and fo fit to be a mediator between God and man; and as’he is a prophet toinftruét him, a prieft to expiate his fin and make interceffion for him, and as aking to rule over,

| protect, and defend him; and as he ftands in the relations of a father, hufband, brother, and friend: he rejoices in what he has done and is doing $ in that this Word is made flefh, and has obtained eternal redemption, and now appears in the prefence of God, as an advocate and interceffor: it follows,. It fhall rejoice in his falvation, that which Fehovab the Father has determined upon, provided for, and has formed the fcheme of; that which Febovab the Son undertook to accomplifh, and now has finifhed; and that which ebovab the Spirit, had - made a difcovery and application of unto the pfalmift, in anfwer to his requeft in ¥. 3. This filled him with fo much joy, as it does every believer that has a view of intereft in it; feeing hereby the law is fulfilled, juftice is fatisfied, fin is atoned for, the pardon of itis procured, an everlafting righteoufnefS is brought in, and a folid foundation laid for hope of eternal glory and hapinefs,, me 5 y. 10. All my bones fall fay, &c.| So, ina figurative fenfe, vexation and difquietude are afcribedto the bones, P/alm. vi..2. and xxxviii. 3. and fometimes joy and gladnefs, P/al. li. 8. His foul is faid to rejoice in the former verfe; and here his bones are faid to fhew forth the iraifevoF the Lord: and both together defign the;whole man, as heart and flefh in Pfal. Ixxxiv. 2. and the bones being the ftrength of the body, may denote his fayin what follows, with all his might, and with all his _ ftrength, and with the utmoft fervency of {pirit, ae ne Le

Lord, who is like unto thee 3 on account of the perfections of his nature, which appear in the falvation and deliverance of his people: there is none like unto him for his wifdom, holinefs, power, grace, and mercy; for his foreknowledge, wifdom, and counfel, in forming the fcheme of falvation; for his holinefs and juttice, which are glorified by it; for his might and power in effecting it; and for his grace, mercy, goodnefs, and faithfulnefs fhewn in keeping covenant with his people; in pardoning and paffing by their iniquity and tranfgreffion, and in condefcending to take notice of his poor and needy, to deliver them as follows; fee Pfal. cxiii. 5—8. Which delivereth the poor from him that is too ftrong for bim, yea, the poor and the needy, from him that [poileth bim 2? in which words the pfalmift doubtlefs refpeéts himfelf and his own cafe, who was poor and afflicted, and ftood in need of help when,he was perfecuted by Sau/, who was his enemy, too ftrong for him, and who fought to fpoil and ruin him, but the Lord delivered him out of his hands; fee Pja/. xviii. 17. They agree with the cafe of all the Lord’s poor and needy, who are fo not only in a temporal fenfe, as they commonly be; and in fuch fenfe as all mankind are, though every one is not fenfible of his fpiritual poverty through fin; having neither food nor raiment, nor any thing to procure them with, and yet think themfelves rich and increafed with goods: but in the beft fenfe, being poor in fpirit and rich in faith; thefe have enemies ftronger than they. Sin is fometimes reprefented as a perfon, their antagonift that fights again{ft them, wars with them, prevails over them fometimes, and carries them captive: fin is too {trong for a man without the grace of God; nay, it was too ftrong for Adam in innocence, and fpoiled him of the image of God, ftripped him of his righteoufnefs, and marred all the glory and honour in which he was; and it is too ftrone for a man that has the grace of God, when left to himfelf: but the Lord delivers his people from it; they are redeemed from it, and faved from punifhment-for it by the blood of Chrift; and they are freed from the power and dominion of it, by the Spirit and grace of Chrift at converfion, and at death they are delivered from the being of it. Satan is the ftrong man armed, and is an over-match for the poor and needy; but Chrift the mighty God is ftronger than he, and has ranfomed them out of the hands of him that was ftronger than they; and the prey, or they thar were made a fpoil by him, are taken out of: the hands of the mighty, and the lawful captive is delivered: they are, indeed,.affaulted by his temptations, in which he would be too many for them, but that they are ftrengthened againft him by the Lord, and are enabled to with{tand him.;. who, in the iffue, flees from them nor can he do. as he pleafes with them, nor re-affume his power)over them he once had, nor lead them captive at. his | will as he once did: ‘God is on their fide; Chrift is their patron and defender, that. pleads their) caufe again{thim; the Spiritthatis within them is greater than he that is in the world; angels are all around them, and in a little while thefe poor and needy will be in heaven, and out of his reach, and fo of every oppreffor and perfecutor; now they are: the weak things of this world, and their enemies are the mighty ones and too ftrong for, them, who fpoil them of their good name and character, and fometimes of their goods and’ property; but the Lord does, and will deliver them out of their hands, and enter them into reft,; where the wicked ceafe from troubling.

¥. 11. Falle witneffes did rife up, &c.] Againft David, faying he fought the hurt of Sau/, 1 Sam.

-Xxiv. g. as did againft David’s antitype, the Lord

Jefus Chrift, Matt. xxvi. 59—61. and againtt his apoftles, Aé?s xxiv. 5, 6. and very frequently do they rife up and bear falfe witnefs againit his people, which is a very heinous crime. They laid to my charge things that I knew not; fuch as David was not confcious of, never thought of doing, much lefs attempted to do; as the taking away of Saul’s life, the contrary of which appeared by his cutting off his {kirt only when he was in-his hands, and taking away his fpear from his bolfter when he could have taken off his head; and fuch were the things laid to the charge of the Meffiah, David’s fon, who knew no fin, nor did any; and the like are exhibited again{t his members, who go through good report and bad report, and whofe good converfation is falfly accufed by malicious men, ¥. 12. They rewarded me evil for good, &c.] For the good David did in killing Goliath, and flaying his ten thoufands of the Péilifines, and thereby faving his king and country; Sau/ and his courtiers envied him, and fought to flay him: fo, our Lord Jefus Chrift, for all the good he did to the Jews, by healing their bodies of difeafes, and preaching the gofpel to them for the benefit of their fouls, was rewarded with reproaches and perfecutions, and at laft with the fhameful death of the crofs; and in like manner are his people ufed; but this is an evil that fhall not go unpunifhed; fee Prov. xvii, 13. It is added, Zo the /poiling of my foul; orto the bereaving of it'; caufing it to be fae therlefs; that is, to the bereaving it of its joy,: peace, and comfort; fo fatherlefs is put-for’comfortlefs, Fobn xiv. 18. or to the taking away of his foul,which being feparated from the body, its companion is left alone, as one that is fatherlefs. ¥. 13. But as for me, when they were fick, &c.J Or under any diforder or diftrefs of body or mind, when any misfortune or infirmity attended them; meaning Sau/ and his courtiers, before David was: perfecuted by them. My clothing was fackcloth; that is, he was grieved, and mourned for them, it being, ufual to put on fackcloth in time of mourning; fee Gen. xxxvii..34.. I humbled my foul with fasting 3 on the account of them, giving up himfelf: ‘to prayer for them, as follows.. ud my prayer returned into mine own bofom; that is, he prayed privately and heartily for them, as for himfelf; he was conftant in it, his heart was in it, and he took delight in it, and he was heard and anfwered; unlefs the fenfe fhould be, that his prayer was lighted by them, and fo returned back to himéfelf, as a prefent defpifed is returned; but however it was not without its effect, the good for which he prayed for them was returned by the Lord unto him. y. 14 I behaved myfelf as though he had been my friend, or brother, 8cc.| Meaning either Sau/ or Doeg the Edomite, or fome fuch evil man; fomewhat. like this he fays of Abithopbel, Pfalwxli. g. and lv. 13, and Arama thinks he is meant here; as Chrift of Judas, whom he called friend, when he came to betray him; and who not only eat with - him at table of his bread, but was fteward. of his family, and carried the bag, Matt. xxvi. 50. Fobn xiii. 29. I bowed down heavily, as one that mourn- ‘eth for his mother, or as a'mother that mourneth for her fon, as Yarchi interprets it, whofe affec- ‘ tions are very ftrong; and thus Chrift wept“over — it Ferufalem,

Ferufalem, and had a tender concern for and fympathy with the Jews, his implacable enemies, and wept over them, and prayed for them, Luke xix. 41. Matt. xxiii, 37. Luke xxiii. 34.

y.15. But in mine adverfity they rejoiced; 8rc.} Or at my halting", either by means of falling into fin; good men are fubject.to flips and falls, and that to the diflocating or breaking of their bones, which caufe them to go halting all their days; wicked men watch for their halting, as Feremiah’s familiars did for his, Fer. xx. 10. and rejoice at it; fee Pfal. xxxviti. 16, ¥7. or by falling into fome misfortune or calamity; hence we render it adverfity, and may defign fome affliction or other, as in Mic, iv. 6, Zepb. iii. 19. at which wicked men rejoice; fee Ezek, xxv. 23. fo David's enemies rejoiced at his afflictions; and the enemies of his fon and antitype, the Lord Jefus Chrift, were glad when Judas offered to betray him to them; more fo when they had got him into their hands;. and moft of all when he was condemned and crucified: and fo do the enemies of his people, as the Philifiines {ported with Samfon when he was in his adverlity, and as the antichriftian party will rejoice and fend gifts one to another, when the two witneffes are flain; but the faints have a gracious God, who knows their fouls im adverfity; a fympathizing high-prieft, who is touched with a feeling of their infirmities; and fellow-faints. that are afflicted with them in all their afflictions, and bear a part of their burdens. And gathered them/elves together, not to pity him, but to infult him; not to help him in his diftrefs, but to add to ity Yea, the abjecis gathered themfelves together againjt me; mean perfons, the refufe and fcum of the earth ¢ fuch as. Fob defcribes, Fob xxx. 1—8. the word may be rendered /mitten™, either in fpirit, as in Va. xvi, 2. they pretending forrow of heart for his troubles; or rather fmitten in body, in their feet, as Mephibofbeth was; yet as lame as they: were, and notwithftanding their lamenefs, they got. together to rejoice at David’s halting: or it may be beft of all to underftand it of their being mitten of God and. affiicted, and the fenfe may be, that though the hand of God was upon them, this did not deter them from gathering together to infult David in his afflictions; fome render the word /mifers*, that is, with their tongues, and fo the Targum, the wicked who {mite with their words; fee Fer. xviii. 18. and fuch fort of perfons were they, that gathered together againft Chrift: it is true indeed, that fome of them were men of rank and: figure, were the princes-of this world, as Herod’ and. Pontius Pilate, and the Jewith rulers, people; particularly the Roman’ foldiers. that gathered: about him, and fported with him in: Pilate’s hall, and that furrounded him: with {coffs: when upon the crofs; thefe alfo were literally: miters. of him, both with. words, and:with:their hands, and are fo called, J/a. 1,6. And I knew it-not; David knew his enemies, or hecould not have fhewn fo much concern for them, as he did’in the. preceding verfes; but either he knew not of their gathering together againft-him, until/he faw-them-in great numbers about him; or he was not confcious to himfelf of any evil he had done them, that fhould be the reafon of it; and this was the cafe of his fon the Meffiah, he knew who they were that ga~ thered about him, even thofe that blindfolded him, and bid him prophefy who fmote him; but he knew no fin he had done why he fhould be treated in the manner he was. They did tear me, and ceafed not; not their own garments, as fome fupply it, pretending great grief of heart for him; nor their mouth with laughing at him, as others; fee y. 21. but either his character and reputation, with hard fayings and reproachful words, or his flefh with blows; and this they did inceffantly; and which was literally true of Chrift, whofe enemies tore his fiefh, by plucking off the hair, by buffeting and fcourging him,. and by piercing his hands and his feet with nails, when they crucified him; and they ceafed not, even after death, to pierce his fide with a f{pear.

¥. 16. With hypocritical mockers in feasts, &c.} That is, the abjects gathered themfelves together with fuch; thefe may defign Sau/’s courtiers, his parafites and flatterers, and who were hypocrites in religion alfo,and made it cheir bufinefs at daal’stable, and in their banquettings and revellings, to mock at David; and who were hypocritical mockers of or for a piece of bread”, as it may be rendered 5. the, fame word is ufed for a pafty, or cake, and for flatterers; and they ufed at their feafts to throw a pafty baked with honey to parafites*; for the word 37pm fignifies a cake, or a piece-of bread, 1 Kings xvii. 12. and the fenfe may be, that they mocked at David as wanting a piece of bread, and that he had brought himfelt to one; or elfe thofe,. and they that gathered with them efpecially, mocked, at David for the fake of a meal or for a piece of bread; fee Prov. xxviii. 27. and fuch fort of men. were the enemies of Chrift, the fcribes and Pharifees, hypocrites to God, flatterers of men, who loved feafts, and the uppermoft places there; and: whofe God was their belly; and who were mockers, of Chrift, derided his doétrine, and fcoffed at his. perfon, efpecially when he hung upon, the crofs. They gnafbed upon me with their teeth; in indignation and contempt; as Stephen’s enemies did on him, Aéfs vil. 54.: yi)

y. 17. Lord, how long wilt thou look on? 8c.) And behold thefe injuries and infults, and not arife to help and fave. The. pfalmift firmly believed the omnifcience of God, and was well affured he faw all that was done; but he was ready to confiderthim only as a fpectator; or however, feems. impatient until he arofe and fhewed himfelf ftrong, on his behalf; fee v.22, 23. Refcue my foul from their deftruftions, my darling from the lions, his.

Joul'and his darling mean the fame; either his)life, than, which: nothing is dearer to a man; or his — foul, his more noble part, and. which was now 4- — lone, or folitary, as the word * ufed fignifies; be~ ing forfaken of God and men, and was defolate his: whole perfon, which was among men - rable’ to: lions, for their ftrength and favagenefs, who breathed out nothing but cruelty and deftruc tion; from which: he defires he might be refcued, or returned, to the quiet:poffeffion of his own houfe,. and! the:houfe of God: the words are much the ~ fame with thofe of the Meffiah in P/al. xxii. 20; 21. fee the notes there.

¥. 18. J will give thee thanks in the great congregation, &c.} This is the refolution.the pfalmitt eame unto; the promife he made, that fhould he be delivered from his enemies, he would give God thanks in the moft public manner; that is, he would acknowledge God to be the author of the | mercy, and himfelf unworthy of it; and would afcribe glory, honour, bleffing, and thank{giving to him, in the midft of the church and people of God; they joining with him in it, when he fhould be reftored to an attendance with them he before prays for. J will praife thee among much people; meéaning the fame as before, the people of God meeting together for folemn worfhip; the great congregation of all, and the much people will be the faints in heaven, when they fhall be gathered together, and fing the fong of Mo/es andthe Lamb. The words will bear to be applied to the Meffiah, fee Pfal. xxii. 22. ‘

¥. 19. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me, &c.] The word wrongfully is to be joined not to the word rejoice, but to the word enemies; and the fenfe is, that they were his enemies wrongfully, for falfe reafons, unjuft cauf- és, or without any caufe that was juft; as follows. Neither let them wink with the eye that bate me without a caufe; fach were David’s enemies, particularly Sau/, Pfalm vii. 4. and fuch were the enemies of Chrift: this laft claufe is thought to be referred to by him, and applied to himfelf, Fobu xv. 25. and the whole of this is faid of him and by him, P/a?. Ixix. 4. feé alfo P/al. cix. 3-5. Thefé were the Jews, of whom he came, among whom he was, and who had no reafon to’ be his enemies, and to hate him; fince he was harmlefs and inoffenfive in his life and converfation among them; went about doing a great deal of good to them, both’ for foul and body, and always exprefs-

éd the moft tender concern for them: they had reafons for their hatred and rejection of him, but not juftifiable ‘ones; fuch as the meannefs of his' perfon ‘and ftate in their view, the doétrines’ he preached rélating to his Deity, divine Sonfhip, and’ the diftinguifhing grace of God; and his:inveighing againit the fins and vices which prevailed among them; and fuch are the enemies of his people, who hate them, though they are the quiet in the land, as is faid in the’ next verfe; and are harmlefs' and’ inoffenfive in their behaviour towards mén’: thefe aré hated for Chrift’s fake; and’ becaufe he’ has chofen, and" called'them out of the world; and Becaufe of their principles, which are diftinguifhing, and their practices, which are good’: now the pfalmift intreats that fuch might not be fuffered to go on rejoicing over him, and at his calamities, but that he might be delivered out of all troubles,) and out of their hands; and that they might not have any reafon to wink with their eyes)in a, corn- ful and deriding way to him, and as expreffing their pleafure to one another at.his diftrefits; fee Prov. vi. 12, 13. and x. 10...

to himfelf, or any good ma could not to him, Gem. xxxvii. 4. fuch were’ the men David had to do with,, Pfal. cxx. 6, 7: and fuch were the enemies of Chrift, who could give him a°good word, nor fpedk one to him, Fobn x. 20..and fich are the enetniés of his people, who breathe out nothing but threatnings and flaughter, and not any ‘thing that tends t6 peace, to promote and: maintain it. Some verfions, as the Séprwa- me, &c.] Pfal. xxii. 7, 8. -expreffive of joy; and the doubling it fhews the _ greatnefg of it. heart wifhed for; namely, the diftrefs of him, whofe enemies they were.

gint, and they that follow that, render it; they do

Speak peace to me; but then it was in an hypocritical way, asin P/al. xxviii. 3. and as the Jews did to Chrift, Adatth. xxii. 16; 17. for it follows. But they devife deceitful matters again# them that are quict in the land; meaning not the wicked, as Kimchi thinks; the rich, who live at eafe and in quietnefs, having as much as heart can with, with whom, as he renders it, David’s enemies devifed mifchief in a deceitful way; but the righteous of the earth, as the Targum; fuch as David and his men were, who defired to live peaceable and quiet lives under Sau/’s government; and had no intention to difturb his government, or wreft the crown from him; and as the Meffiah, David's fon, was, the humble one in the earths as the Arabic verfion renders it in the fingular number; a chara¢ter that well agrees with Chrift, who fhewed great humility in coming into this world, and during his ftay in it; it was a ftateof humiliation with him, and in which he behaved in the moft lowly and humblé manner; he was the quiet one in the land; he ftrove not, nor cried, nor was his voice heard in the f{treet; he was not noify and clamorous, quarrelfome and litigious; but all the reverfe; he bore all infults, réproaches and fofferings, patiently and quietly: and fuch are his people, fo far as they are influenced by his grace and Spirit; they aré quiet and peaceable in kingdoms, cities, and neighbourhoods, and in the churches of God; and yet © the wicked are continually plotting againft them, and devifing things to their hurt.

W. 21. Yea, they opened their mouth wide againft In laughter, fcorn, and derifion; fee And faid, Aba, aba; a word

Our eye hath feen it; what their infults and derifions of thefe men, and the injuries they did to him, whom they hated. | nifcient, and fees all things, all the evil wicked’ men do to him; and he will’ requité' them in’his own time; fee Pfol.x. 14. Keep not filence; meaning at his‘ prayers; that hé would not be as’ ore deaf and dumb, turning his ears from'his cries, and giv= ing no anfwer to his'requefts’; fee P/al. xxviii. 1, he is not far from any, 4é5 xvii. 27.\ but with re-

¥.23. Stir up thyfelf, and’ awake, &c.] Who feemed* to’ be afleep in the apprehenfions of the’ pfalmift, and to take no notice of his diftreffes, and the infults of his enemies; fee P/a/. xliv. 23. He Tomy judgment, even to my caufe; that is, to plead it and maintain it, and avenge him of his enemies,. as in.y. 1. making ufe of his covenant- intereft in him, as a plea for it to engage him to do it, faying, My God, and my Lord; fee Pfal. xxii. 1, y. 24. Fudge'me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteoufnefs, &c.] Either. that rightedufnels of his, by which he’ juftifies his people, which Chrift has wrought out, God has accepted’of, and’ imputes;' and which, though revealed’ in the gofpel, was witnefled to by the Law and prophets, and ‘was n to the faints under the Old-Teftament, and particularly to David’; fee Rom. iv. 6. or the perfetion of his'juftice, his’ effential righteoufnefs ‘difplayed in all his works and actions, and in the’ government of the world’; accotding'to ws the pfalmift defired to be judged 5 not with refpect to his perfon before God, but with refpect to his caufe before men, by delivering: him from. his enemies, and taking vengeance on them: thus Chrift alfo. was judged according to the ftrict juftice, or righteoufnefs of God; for as fin was righteoufly condemned in his flefh, being imputed, to him, and found upon him; fo he was, according to the juftice of God, acquitted, dilcharged, and juftified in the Spirit, when he arofe from the dead; and afterwards righteous judgment. was executed on his enemies the Jews, when wrath came upon them to the uttermoft: and his people are alfo dealt with according to the righteoufnefs of God; who acts as a righteous God, as juft and faithful in forgiving their fins, on account of the blood of Chrift being fhed for it; and in juftifying their perfons by his righteoufnefs, and by giving them the crown of righteoufnefs laid up for them; and at laft by rendering tribulation to them that have troubled them. dnd let them not rejoice over me; meaning his enemies, as in ¥. 15, 19. that is, let them not go on to rejoice; let them have no occafion for it, but deliver me out of their hands.

¥. 25. Let them not fay in their hearts, Ab, fo would we have it, &c.} Or we have what our fouls wifhed for and defired: the fenfe of the petition is the fame with P/al, xxvii. 12... Let them not fay, We have fwallowed him up; as roaring lions {wallow down their prey, to which: he had compared them, y. 17. and as wicked men eat up the Lord’s people. as they eat bread,. P/al. xiv. 4.

y..26. Let them be afoamed and brought to confufou together, &c.} Ina body, as one man; as they gathered together againft him, y.15. fohe intreats they might together be brought to fhame and confufion, they not being able to execute their defigns; their fchemes being broken, their counfels defeated, and they expofed to contempt... That rejoice-at mine burt; the fame with his adverfity, or halting, y. 15. Let them be clothed with foame and difbonour that magnify themfelves againft. me; let them be covered with it, as a man is with.a garment; who magnified themfelves,. opened their mouths, in great {welling words of vanity againft him,.vaunted and bragged over him, as.in their power, and at their will. 4 y. 27. Let them fhout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous caufe, 8cc.} The caufe of David was a righteous caufe, he having done no iniquity, or any thing criminal againft Saud his enemy, who perfecuted him; and there were fome that~ favoured his caufe, as Jonathan, Saul’s fon, and_a few others of rank and figure; but the greateft part were mean and defpicable, 1 Sem,, xxii. 2.

WAHIS title which the pfalmift takes to hinifelf, regards him not only as. a creature, every man being the fervant of the Lord as fuch, of right, though notin fact; butas a king, he being a minifter of God for good to good men, and for ~ evil to evil men; and alfo may refpect him as a renewed man; and it is here ufed in oppofition to and diftinction from the wicked, who are the fervants of fin and Satan, of whom he fpeaks in this pfalm. The Syriac and. Arabic verfions in their titles fuggeft that. this pfalm was, written when David was

> coe eS OA LoVe ROVE vo bp) giana To the chief mufician, a” pfalm of David, ' the fervant of ‘the LORD, —

LMS. Pf. xxxviey.I. and fo the caufe of Chrift and of his people, which isone, is a righteous caufe, which no one need to be afhamed of, and is worth fuffering for; though thofe that favour it, are for the moft part the poor and bafe and weak things of the world: but when. this caufe profpers they rejoice and are glad, as they do atthe happinefs of every particular faint; for if one member is honoured, all the reft rejoice with it. Yea, det them fay continually, the Lord be magnified, let them continually afcribe greatnefs, give honour and glory to him, wich bath pleafure in the profperity of bis fervant; meaning either himfelf, who was a fervant of the Lord, notonly by creation but by grace; and who had his times both of temporal and fpiritual profperity; which were owing to the good will and pleafure of God, and to the delight and complacency he had in hims being.a man after his own heart, raifed up to fulfil his will; and fince this profperity did not arife from any defert of his, he would have all the glory of it given to God: orelfe he intends the Meffiah, his antitype, who as mediator, is the fervant of the Lord; of his choofing, calling, and fending; whofe commands he diligently and faithfully obeyed;, from whom he had his work, and alfo his. reward: his profperity lies in the work of redemp-, tion fucceeding in his hands; in his exaltation at the right hand of God; and in the fpread of his gofpel in the world, and the efficacy of it to the conviétion of finners; and inthe eftablifhment and increafe of, his kingdom and intereft; on which account, the Lord’s name is to be magnified and glorified, who delights in him as his fervant, and in his profperity; and the rather this is to be done, fince ‘the faints: have an intereft_ in him as a Prince and a Saviour > or any one of the fervants of the Lord may be un-. derftood; or however it is applicable to any one of, them, who, through the power of divine grace upon them, are made willing to ferve the Lord. with reverence and godly fear; who are his Hepbzi-bab, in whom is all his delight and pleafure:, who rejoices over them to do them good: and hence flows all the fpiritual profperity they enjoy, on account of which glory is to be given to. God by them and all the faints that know it, P/al. XXXIV. I, 2. ie

¥. 28. And my tongue foall [peak of thy righteousnefs, 8c.] In vindicating his caufe and bringing, his enemies to fhame and confufion, as well.as.of the glory and excellency of that righteoufnefs of his, by. which he was juftified in his fight, and from whence his inward.peace and profperity flowed; And of thy praife all the day long; for the many mercies, temporal and fpiritual, he was every day | favoured with, By Se as perfecuted by Saul, ‘and which is the fenfe ¢ interpreters 5 but R. Obadiah thinks Abithophel is ‘defigned by the wicked man in it; and fo it was penned on account of /alam’s rebellion. oak 2 AIAG ahOb 6 bide RRR Bi

_¥ 1, The tranfgrefion of he vce within my heart, &c.) Which is reprefented as a perfon peaking within him; not that the tranfgreffion of the wicked wasreally in him; fin was in him, an man’s; but he taking notice of and confic shy fin of the fame kind and nature with